KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Two University of Tennessee System entities are joining forces to accelerate workforce education and industry engagement across Tennessee through a new strategic partnership between the UT Institute for Public Service’s Center for Industrial Services (CIS) and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS).
Through CECS and CIS, UT is creating a long-term framework to develop and deliver workforce development programs that help working professionals and employers adapt to evolving workforce needs. The partnership combines CECS’s expertise in emerging technology education with CIS’s statewide industry relationships and technical expertise to create future-ready training opportunities.
The collaboration will support programs in applied artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data science and other emerging technology fields. Educational offerings will include customized corporate training, open-enrollment workforce programs, stackable credentials, micro-credentials and future workforce pathways designed to meet the evolving needs of Tennessee’s industries.
“Building the greatest decade in the history of the University of Tennessee means serving our state in new and meaningful ways,” said UT System President Randy Boyd. “This partnership reflects how UT serves Tennessee. We listen to employers, respond to emerging workforce needs and create new pathways for Tennesseans to gain the skills they need to succeed.”
The partnership builds on the success of a recently completed AI in Manufacturing workforce pilot developed jointly by CECS and CIS in collaboration with DENSO, one of the world’s leading mobility suppliers. The 16-week training program brought together CECS faculty, CIS advanced manufacturing consultants and DENSO manufacturing leaders to help DENSO employees understand how artificial intelligence can support their work, improve processes and strengthen decision-making.
“AI is an important tool for helping our teams work smarter, but it does not replace the knowledge, judgment and creativity our team members bring to manufacturing every day,” said North America Chief Manufacturing Officer at DENSO Marty Deschenes. “Through this collaboration, we are helping our teams better understand where AI can support their work and how it can help optimize processes while keeping our talented people at the center of our operations.”
“The success of the DENSO pilot confirmed what is possible when academic innovation and industry expertise come together,” said Vice Provost and Dean of the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies Ozlem Kilic. “This agreement creates a scalable framework that allows us to extend those opportunities beyond a single employer and make high-quality emerging technology education accessible to organizations across Tennessee. Together, CECS and CIS are building the workforce needed to power the state’s future economy.”
The first initiative under the new agreement is the AI in Manufacturing Workforce Certificate, which expands the training developed with DENSO to manufacturers across Tennessee. The open-enrollment program is now accepting participants, with the first cohort beginning Oct. 1. Participants will learn through manufacturing-focused case studies, hands-on activities and team-based projects designed for real-world applications. Manufacturers interested in enrolling employees in the AI in Manufacturing Workforce Certificate or learning more about the program can visit the AI in Manufacturing Workforce Certificate webpage.
“This partnership reflects the power of combining academic expertise with practical industry experience,” said CIS Executive Director Paul Jennings. “By bringing together CECS’s leadership in emerging technology education and CIS’s decades of experience serving Tennessee manufacturers, we are creating a sustainable model for workforce development that helps organizations adopt new technologies while strengthening the people who make those organizations successful.”
As Tennessee’s manufacturing and technology sectors continue to evolve, UT’s partnership through CECS and CIS will provide employers with new opportunities to reskill and upskill their workforce through innovative educational programs, industry collaboration and applied learning experiences.
About the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies
The College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies (CECS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, serves as the university’s hub for developing innovative academic programs, workforce initiatives and strategic partnerships that prepare learners for the future of work. As the university’s intercollegiate college, CECS brings together faculty, students, industry, government and community partners to respond rapidly to emerging technologies and evolving workforce needs. Through interdisciplinary education, experiential learning, professional development and applied research, CECS advances Tennessee’s economic competitiveness while preparing both students and working professionals to lead in an increasingly technology-driven world.
About the Center for Industrial Services
The Center for Industrial Services (CIS), an agency of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service (IPS), helps Tennessee manufacturers and businesses improve competitiveness through workforce development, operational excellence and technical consulting. By connecting industry with the resources of the University of Tennessee, CIS delivers training, applied expertise and customized solutions that strengthen productivity, foster innovation and support economic growth across the state.
About DENSO
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a 7,540.0 billion yen (US$47.2 billion) leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 170 facilities worldwide to provide opportunities for rewarding careers and to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company’s 155,000 global employees are paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 9.2 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026. For more information about DENSO’s operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global/en.
In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 23,000+ team members across more than 40 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, DENSO in North America generated $12.7 billion in consolidated sales. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/.
